Rug and carpet cleaning machine



NW. N, 935.. w. L. BARTHOLD 9 L RUG AND CARPET CLEANING MACHINE OriginalFiled Jan. 8, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 a 130 J 2'22 a I 4 I (:2 as 254- l lI D L O H T R A B L w RUG AND CARPET CLEANING MACHINE Original FiledJan. 1932' 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 9 K JI u IL 6 J 0 8 HI/1 w 4 8 w. ABA/77710.40

Nov. 19, 1935. w. L. BARTHOLD RUG AND CARPET CLEANING MACHINE OriginalFiled Jan. 8, l932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 3mm w. L. BAIPTHULD Nov. 19, 1935.w. BARTHOLD RUG AND CARPET CLEANING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 0riginalFiled Jan. 8, 1952 W. L. BART/ 0L0 N0v.19, 1935. w. L, BARTHOLD RUG ANDCARPET CLEANING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 8, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Lify. 12,

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0o 8 oo 0 3 JM 00 a $0 00 M 0 Q E z gwue/wbo'o m4. BAliTf/OLD PatentedNov. 19, 1935 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFIE Original application January 8,1932, Serial No. 585,591. Divided and this application August 8, 1932,Serial No. 627,995

2 Claims. (01. 15-40) This invention relates to machines for cleaningwoven floor coverings and the application is a division of my co-pendingapplication filed January 8, 1932, and serially numbered 585,591.

The invention has for one of its principal .aims the provision ofefficient means by which a floor covering may be subjected to aplurality of successive cleaning operations such, for example, asbeating, vacuum, scrubbing and rinsing, all while being passed a-singletime through the machine thereby reducing the labor charge incident tohandling the floor covering and at the same time affecting the completeremoval of dirt, giease and the like and restoring the original lustrousappearance of the covering so far as is possible to do so.

Among other things, the invention will be found to embody a novel rugbeater consisting of a rotary element having supporting rods upon whichtubular beating elements are loosely mounted so that as the rotaryelement is turned, the tubular beating elements will, by centrifugalforce, be moved into striking engagement with the rug passing throughthe machine to remove from the rug the dirt embedded therein, therebeing a novel vacuum arrangement associated with the heater to carry offthe dirt thus removed from the rug.

With further reference to the vacuum arrangement it is pointed out thatthe discharge conduit thereof may extend into a container for water sothat the dust-laden air is, upon passing through the water, caused togive up the dirt therein, thereby preventing the air about the machinefrom being contaminated by the dust removed from the carpet or rug asthe case may be.

Another feature of the invention will be found to reside in thescrubbing means embodying a plurality of oscillating elements havinginterlocking or interfitting edge portions operating in overlappingpaths assuring the thorough scrubbing of the rug or carpet for the fullwidth thereof or an uninterrupted section thereof, as distinguished fromthe possibility of leaving uncleaned streaks between the brushes as inthe case of other machines her etofcre designed for rug scrubbingpurposes.

The invention also embodies a novel wringer arrangement designed toextract moisture from the rug to reduce the time required for the dryingprocess.

Provision will also be found to be made for the adjustment of the supplymeans for the rinsing fluid so that a spray of water co-extensive withthe width of the rug may be furnished to the rug.

The scrubbing elements and the means to furnish soapy fluid thereto willbe found to be capable of adjustment to correspond to the width of therug and thereby avoid waste of soapy fluid. '5

Another important advance of the invention will be found to be marked bythe simple means by which the machine may be adjusted to variousoperating conditions and further, in the means by which the variousoperating elements are 10; driven in consonance to the end that theuniform travel of rugs or carpets through the machine is assured and theproper operation of the feeding, scrubbing, rinsing and other rugcleaning agents brought about.

A further aim is to provide a machine of the character specified whichrequires a minimum of operating attention as compared with othermachines for the same purpose, and which by reason of the comparativesimplicity thereof affords ready access to the various elements thereinfor the purpose of inspection and repair.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Figure l is a fragmentary front elevation of the machine, parts beingbroken away and sectioned to illustrate the internal construction,

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the machine, the view illustrating themeans by which the various rug cleaning agents are operated inconsonance,

Figure 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on line 3--3 ofFigure 2,

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 ofFigure 1, the view being taken in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 5-5 ofFigure 1,

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6-4: of Figure 1,

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 'l---'! of Figure l,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the machine, parts being brokenaway and sectioned to illustrate the internal construction,

' Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, illustrating abeater embodied in the invention,

Figure 10 is a vertical transverse sectional View, takenon line Ill-Illof Figure 9,

Figure 11 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line |i-ll ofFigure 9,

Figure 14 is a detail horizontal sectional view' taken on line i4|4 ofFigure 13,

Figure 15 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view illustrating awringing mechanism embodied in the invention.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 3i? designates a .bed

' or frame having end walls 3! and 32 and an intermediate wall 34, thesewalls being joined by I-beams 35 or other means having the strengthrequired to hold the bed together and against distortion under theinfluence of vibration and other strains to which rug cleaning machinesare inevitably subjected.

As shown in Figure 1, a super-frame is mounted above the bed or mainframe and is provided with end walls 38 and 39 and an intermediate wall40, all of which walls are joined by a suitable member of I-beams 4| orthe equivalent thereof.

The super frame is adjustable vertically with respect to the main frameor bed and from Figures '1, 4, 5, and 10 it will be seen that the superframe is provided at the four corners thereof with depending attachingstandards M movable vertically through bosses M5 in the end walls 3! and32 of the main bed and being threaded through worm wheels 48. It isclearly illustrated in Figure 4 that the worm wheels 48 are held againstaxial movement by the upper and lower 'walls of the transverse recesses58 within which the same are mounted so that when the worm wheels areturned, together, of course, the super frame will be raised or lowereddepending upon the direction of rotation of the worm wheels.

By reference to Figures 4 and 7 it will be seen that the end walls 39and 32 of the main bed have the inner surfaces thereof provided with itwill be seen that an actuating shaft 56 is extended longitudinally ofthe bed and has a motion transmitting connection with the shafts 52through the intervention of motion transmitting gears 58 or the like.Figure 1 illustrates that the actuating shaft 55 is suspended from oneof the I-beams 35 by brackets to and is provided at one end with a handwheel 62 forming a means by which motion may be imparted to the shaft tobring about the raising or lowering of the super frame. It is believedto be clear that the worm wheel'and worm connection 48 and 54 betweenthe standards and the shafts 52 provides a self-locking arrangement bywhich the super. frame is held in an adjusted position without theaid'of additional holding means, it being noted in this regard that theworm wheels 43 are incapable of turning the worms 54 while on the otherhand the. worms may turn the worm wheels.

Of course, it is entirely within the scope of the invention to provide amotor drive for the shaft 56.

'Figures'Z and'6 illustrate that the walls 3| and 34 of the bed or mainframe are provided with laterally spaced bearings 65 forming supportsfor lower pressure rolls 68, the latter being positioned below upperrolls Ill and cooperating therewith in defining an inlet to the machineand at the same time cooperating in the formation of a beating chamber.More particularly, the pairs of upper and lower rollerslfl and:68respectively, cooperate in forming the sides of a beating chamber whileasshown in Figure 5, a transversely curved member 12 is extended closelybetween the lower rollers 68 to form the bottom of the beating chamber.A hood or top wall it extends closely between the upper rollers it tocooperate therewith to form the top of the beating chamber.

Referring" now to Figure 8 it will be seen that one end of the beatingchamber and more particularly the outer end thereof, is defined by aplate it; fitting closely aboutthe pairs of upper and lower ro'llers andhaving connection with an outlet conduit iii. Thus, the pairs of upperand lower rollers, the bottom member T2, the hood l4 and the end member16 cooperate in the formation of a beating chamber one end of which isallowed to remain open for the admission of air. More specifically, themember 16 defines one end of the chamber while the other end located atopposite ends of the rollers is open to the atmosphere. 7

Referring now to Figure 1, it will be seenthat the outlet conduit '58 isprovided at an interme .mediate point therein with a vertical chamber 88having a transverse reticulated member 82 to arrest the passage of largeparticles of dirt and refuse. The inlet to. the chamber 89 is by way ofthe lower end thereof While the outlet from the chamber is from theupper end thereof necessitating the upward travel of dust-laden airthrough the reticulated member 82;

The outlet end of the conduit 18 has connection with a blower 33 bywhich a suction through the previously described beating chamber isproduced and a suitable source of power such, for example, as anelectric motor 84 may be employed to drive the blower 83.

The outlet from the blower is by way of a pipe 35 discharging into awater container 88 at a point below the level of water in the containersothat the ascent of the air through the water will result in theseparation of the dust from the air, whereby the air finally dischargedwill be free of dust. In this manner the atmosphere about the machine isprevented from being contaminated by the dust extracted from the rugs.

able number of the discs may be employed and cooperate with the tie rods'94 in defining a plurality of sections and, upon each of the tie rods'94 there is loosely mounted a beater tube 96 of flexible material. Asshown in Figure 9, each beater tube has a bore substantially greaterthan the diameter of the tie rod thereby allowing the tube to flap intoengagement with the rug during .the rotation of the beater. Althoughthis movement of the beater tube with respect to the tie rod 94 isslight, it is nevertheless, sufficiently abrupt to bring about theefiective loosening and 'ly aligned discs Q2 joined by tie rods 94. Asuitremoval of the dirt in the rug. Of course, the ends of the more orless yieldable beater tubes 96 are free from pressure contact with thediscs 02 so that the section of the beater tubes is not in any mannerrestrained.

The beater tubes 96 of one section of the beater are staggered withrespect to the beater tubes of the contiguous sections and in thismanner different and spaced portions of the rug are struckintermittently and progressively causing a vibration or wavering of therug conducive to the eflicient extraction of dirt. Also, it will be seenthat the beater tubes 96, especially when thrown outward by centrifugalforce, extend beyond the peripheral edges of the discs 96 so that thediscs are prevented from interfering with thestriking engagement of thetubes with the rug.

Is is clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5 that the beater is located withinthe beater chamber defined by the rollers 68 and I and dthe members I2and 14 so that the dirt extracted by the beaters is carried off by theconduit "I8.

Figure illustrates that the intermediate portion of the roller 68 closerto the inlet side of the machine rides on a pair of anti-frictionrollers I03 which, in turn, are carried by a bracket IOI, the bracketbeing rigidly mounted upon the I- beam 35 immediately below. This figurealso illustrates that the other lower roller 68 rides upon the rollersor wheels I02 of brackets I04, these brackets being secured through theaid of suitable fastening devices to the I-beam 35 immediately below. Inthis manner, therollers 08 are prevented from sagging under the pressurethereon.

Upon leaving the beating and vacuum mechanism, the rug passes beneath ascrubbing mechanism embodying a plurality of brush heads I06 havingbristles for engagement with the upper surface of the rug.

As shown in Figures 1 and 13 the brush heads I06 are mounted on a.plurality of depending shafts I I0 having the lower portions thereofprovided with suitable means such as nuts II2 to limit downward movementof the brush heads. In Figure 13 the brush heads are shown to be keyedto the associated shafts and in this connection it is pointed out thatthe brush heads may be raised manually on the shafts so that the samewill ride on the upper end of keys. When the brush heads are thus heldin a raised position a rug may be threaded through the machine withfacility or the brush heads may be held in this elevated position forthe purpose of repair or cleaning.

The depending shafts II 0 are shown to be bored longitudinally for thefull length thereof to form fluid conduits, the lower portions of whichdischarge centrally of the brush heads to furnish fluid, either clear ofsoap bearing, to the rug or carpet being cleaned.

From Figures 1, 2, and 4 it will be seen that the branches I20 of'amanifold I22 have connected with the upper ends of the brush supportingshaft H0 and such branches are provided with individual valves I26 whichthe flow of fluid to the brush heads may be controlled. This allowsfluid to be furnished to a selected number of brushes and is of specialadvantage when small rugs are being cleaned because it is obviouslyundesirable to furnish fluid to a space beneath which there is no rug.

Of course, in carrying out the invention the manifold I22 may be carriedby suitable means such as brackets I30 and may extend from a suitablesource of supply. The brackets I30 shown to be mounted upon one of theI-beams 4! of the super frame to locate the manifold I22 at the inletside of the machine with the 5 valve I26 available for convenientregulation.

In Figures 1, 13, and 15 it is illustrated that the shafts I I0 arerotatably extended through bearings I40 carried by one of the I-beams 4|and the upper portions of the shafts have connection with spur gears IM,the spur gears being interlocked to form a train by which the motion ofone gear is imparted to the other.

Particular attention is now invited to Figures 12 and 13 in which it isillustrated that the gear 15 I44 at one end of the machine has rigid.connection in any suitable manner with a smaller spur gear I46, which isengaged by a gear segment or lever rack 48. The member I48 is shown tobe fulcrumed at one end to a bracket I52 and has connection at a pointbetweenthe ends thereof with a link I54. Figure 12 clearly illustratesthat the link I55 is pivoted at what might be said to be the outer endthereof to a crank I58 keyed or otherwise secured to the upper portionof a vertical motion transmitting shaft I59. It is believed to be clearthat rotation of the shaft I59 constantly in the same direction willbring about the rocking of the segment I48 and the oscillation of thebrush heads.

By thus oscillating the brush heads, the nap of the rug is raised and iscleaned on all sides. This oscillation of the brush heads also causesthe bristles of the brushes to work between the constituent parts of thenap so that the bristles are brought into direct pressure and cleansingengagement with the nap side of the warp of the rug. In this manner boththe nap and the warp are thoroughly cleansed.

With reference to Figures 8 and 12 it will be 0 seen that the brushheads are somewhat in the form of scalloped disks defining radialinterlocking projections causing the brushes to operate in overlappingpaths so that the rug is cleaned uniformly from one end of the gang ofbrushes to the other without interruption or the creation of streakssuch as are left in those machines where the brushes are laterallyspaced or do not operate in overlapping paths. This overlapping of thebrushes continues even after the brushes have become worn so thatuniform cleaning is provided at all times.

As shown in Figure 4, the .rug is held in position beneath the brushheads by spaced parallel rollers I68. Any suitable number of suchrollers may be provided and the same are shown to be mounted between theends thereof on brackets I63 through the intervention of suitableantifriction elements.

Figure 4 also illustrates that upper and lower rollers I70 and I72 arelocated at what might be said to be the rear side of the gang of brushesand cooperate with the rollers 68 and 70 at the front side of the gangof brushes in the formation of a sort of scrubbing chamber within whichthere is placed the soapy fluid either directly or through the passagesin the shafts H0.

Referring now to Figure 6, it will be seen that the rollers "I0 and H8are carried by bearings I75 slidably attached to the super frame byflanges I16 and having stems I78 slidable through barrels or bossesISfl. Expansion springs are shown to be mounted within the bosses I80and have the lower ends thereof engaged with shouldered portions of thestems I18 so as to urge the Attention is now invited to Figure 4, inwhich it is illustrated that from the rollers I10 and I12, the carpetpasses upward over one or more 7 transverse rolls it!) and is subjectedto the action of a rinsing fluid discharged by way of a transverselyextending rinsing head or pipe I92. The rinsing head is provided with acontrol element 282 for use in regulating the width of the spray tocorrespond to the width of the rug.

The material being treated passes from the rollers H and I12. beneath aconstantly rotating helical scraper 144 having rounded edges forpressure contact with the rug so as to extract therefrom all possiblesoap. As shown in Figure 2, the scraper is driven by an endless sprocketchain 15f having connection with the upper wringer roll 230 through theintervention of appropriate sprocket wheels. From Figure 2 it will beseen that the employment of a pair of meshing gears between the chain15! and the scraper provides for the turning of the scraper in thedirection opposite the direction of travel of the It is shown in Fig.that the engagement of the beater M4 withthe adjacent portion of the rugcauses the rug to dip and form a sort of trough between the adjacentsupports.

After being rinsed and scraped, the rug or carpet, as the case may be,is subjected to :a wringing'action made possible by the provision ofupper and lower wringer rolls 23%], the lower wringer roll having theterminal portions thereof provided with pintles rotatably carried bybearing brackets, 232 while the upper wringer roll is provided at theends thereof with pintles mounted on vertically adjustable bearings 234.It is shown in Figure 6 that the bearings 234 are carried by flangedportions 235 of the super frame and that these bearings have threadedconnection with vertically movable links 249.

Figure 6 illustrates in detail that the links 2 19 are slidable throughbosses in the super frame and are pivotally connected at the upperportions thereof to levers 242, the outer portions of the levers beingpivoted to short links 246 while the inner portions of the levers areprovided with openings slidably receiving adjusting screws 250. Theadjusting screws 250 are threaded through the hubs of worm wheels 252and the worm wheels are engaged by worms 2% mounted on a shaft 256. Theshaft 258 is extended through the walls 38 and $3 of the super frameand, through the intervention of the worm connection 252, 254, hasoperative connection with theadjusting screws 250 so that by turning theshaft through the aid of the handle 269 or any other convenient means,the upper wringer roll. may be raised or lowered or placed under theproper tension. It is shown clearly in Figure 6 that expansion coilsprings 264 are mounted on the upper portions of the adjusting screws250 between the levers 242 and the heads of the screws and. thesesprings provide a yieldable motion to pressure transmitting connectionbetween the feed screws and the levers, which yieldable connectionprotects the wringer against excessive pressure.

Particular attention is invited to Figure 1 in which it is illustratedthat the hub or attaching portion of the crank handle 23!! is keyed forlimited longitudinal sliding motion onthe shaft 256 so that the lugs 26!of the hub may be advanced into interlocking engagement with the hub ofthe adjacent worm wheel 254. 7

When the crank handle 260 is thus interlocked '5 with the adjacent wormwheel 254 through the intervention of the lugs 26!, both worm wheels 254may be turned together, bringingiabout the co-extensive raising orlowering of both ends of the upper wringer roll 23B. 10 Of course, it isdesirable to bring about the co-extensive raising and lowering of theupper wringer roll during the use of the machine for cleaning rugs ofgenerous widths, for example, On the other hand,

those about nine feet wide. should rugs of a less width, for example,those about three feet wide, be run through the machine, a uniformwringer pressure on the rug is brought about by first lowering the upperwringer roll coextensively from both ends and thenre- 'tracting thecrank handle 260 and subsequently turning the same to relieve, in part,the downward pressure on the end of the upper wringer roll remote fromthe crank handle. 1

In this connection it is pointed out that when narrower rugs are turnedthru the machine, the 7, same arenot centered with respect tothe'various rolls but are located toward-the side of the machine havingthe crank handle 260 and by backing up on the crank handle 260 thespring upper wringer roll through the intervention of 40 'a train ofgears 214.

The gears 214 are rotatably mounted on an angle arm 215 and a. link 2'58pivotally connected to the arm 215 maintains a constantly operativeconnection between the two uppermost gears of the train regardless ofthe adjustment of the upper wringer roll with respect to the lowerwringer roll, it being noted in this connection that the uppermost gearof the train is secured upon the pintle at one end of the 7 upperwringer. 59

Coming now to the driving means for the various movable parts such, forexample, asthe beater, the feed rollers, the brush heads and thewringers, attention is invited to Figure 2, in which the main drivingmotor 300 is shown to be mounted at one end of the machine and isprovided with a' drive shaft with which there is associated a clutchingmechanism 302 of any preferred type.

The motor 300 and more particularly the main drive shaft thereof hasconnection with a trans- 60 mission or speed change device 394 and thespeed change device is provided with a shaft 306. Upon the motiontransmitting shaft 396 there is keyed or otherwise secured, a sprocketgear 308 about which an endless sprocket chain 3|0'is trained. 55

Referring now to Figure 13 it will be seen'that the sprocket chain 3H isalso trained about a sprocket wheel 312 keyed upon the 'hub of a beveledgear 314, the beveled gear being located within an appropriate housing3H5 and having constant mesh with a beveled gear 3|! keyed on the lowerportion of the upwardly extending drive shaft 159 for the various brushheads. Thus, it will be seenthat the operation of the motor 300,willbring about the turning of the shaft I59 mental gear I 48 and thelink I54 the latter being driven by the crank on the upper portion ofthe shaft I59.

With further detailed reference to Figure 14,

it will be seen that the beveled gear 3I1 has constant mesh with abeveled gear 320 keyed upon the shaft 322 and thereby serving to rotatethis shaft constantly in the same direction. Incidentally, the shaft 322is rotatably extended thru the hub of the gear 3M and has drivingconnection at the outer end thereof with a sprocket wheel 326. From Fig.3 it will be seen that the sprocket wheel 326 has driving connectionwith a sprocket wheel 330 of much smaller diameter and keyed upon theshaft 90 of the beater.

Particular attention is invited to the fact that the motion transmittingmechanism illustrated in Figure 13 serves as a means to bring about theturning of the beater in the direction of travel of the rugs so thatwhen temporarily joined ends of rugs are presented to the beater, thesame will simply ride over the beater and will not fold inward as wouldbe the case were the beater turned in the direction opposite thedirection of travel of the rugs. In other words, the power take-01f fromthe driving means for the brush heads includes a reversing mechanism bywhich the beater is rotated in the direction opposite the direction oftravel of the rugs through the machine.

Coming now to the means by which the various rollers are rotatedtogether, attention is invited to Figures 2 and 8 from which it will beseen that an endless sprocket chain 340 is trained about a sprocketwheel on the shaft 306 and about a sprocket wheel 342 on a motiontransmitting shaft 344.

In Figure 3 it is clearly illustrated that the shaft 344 has slidablymounted thereon a com bination gear 346, the separate gear sectionsthereof being adapted for selective engagement with the combination gear348 mounted upon the extended end of the pintle of the roller I12providing a speed change mechanism. The combination gear 346 hasconnection with a manually operated lever 36E] providing a means bywhich either of the sections of the combination gear may be engaged withthe mating section of the gear 348 so that the roller I12 and the .partsdriven thereby are rendered capable of regulation as to speed.

Having explained how the roller I 12 is rotated attention is now invitedto Figure 6 illustrating that this roller has mounted thereon a sprocketwheel 360 about which a sprocket chain 362 is trained, this wheel alsobeing trained about a sprocket wheel 366 upon the extended portion ofthe pintle of the adjacent roller 68. Another sprocket chain 310 istrained about appropriate sprocket wheels secured to the adjacent endsof the rollers 68 to bring about the rotation of both of these rollersat the same speed, Thus, it will be seen that the roller I12 acts as amotion transmitting means between the source of power and the two lowerrollers 68.

With further reference to Figure 6 it will be seen that the sprocketchain 210, which has driving engagement with the lower wringer rolls230, is trained about an appropriate sprocket wheel keyed to the rollerI12 so that the roller I12 is further caused to act as a motiontransmitting means between the source of power and the wringer.

It has been explained that the upper and lower wringer rolls 23ll aredriven together and at the same speed through the intervention of thetrain 5 of gears 214 and that such train of gears are mounted in amanner which allows of adjustment of the pressure between the wringerrolls.

Coming now to the means by which the upper roller I10 and the tworollers 19 are rotated, at- 1 tention is invited to Figure 2, in whichit is shown that a spur gear 409 is rigidly mounted upon the pintle ofthe driven roller I12 and has constant mesh with a gear rigidly mountedupon the pintle of the upper roller I12 thereby causing this upper 15roller to turn in the direction of travel of the rug.

It is now pointed out that, as shown in Figure 2, an endless sprocketchain 408 is trained about suitable sprocket wheels upon the pintles 20,

of the upper roller I10 and the adjacent roll 10. From what might besaid to be the innermost roller Ill, motion is transmitted to the outerroller 16 thru the intervention of an endless sprocket chain M2, itbeing apparent that this chain is trained about appropriate sprocketwheels secured to the terminal portions of the, two rollers Ill.

To prepare the machine for operation, the super frame is raised slightlyby rotation of the hand wheel 62 in the proper direction andwhen thesuper frame is thus elevated, a space will be brought about between theseveral rollers and the brush heads will be elevated so that either arug or a dummy may be threaded through the machine and when a rug hasthus been threaded through the machine and a number of rugs have beendetachably joined to be run through the machine in succession, the motor390 is start,- ed and a cleansing fluid, furnished to the brushing headsthrough the branch pipe I20, or if desired, a soapy fluid may simply bethrown into the cleansing chamberdefined by the roller I10 and theadjacent parallel roller 10. Theoscillation of the brushheads inthemannerdescribed is will bring about the thorough washing andcleansing of both sides of the nap so that all dirt will be effectivelyremoved from the rug.

Of course, before reaching the scrubbing position the dry rug is causedto move across the beater and is there subjected to the vigorous beatingaction of the various beating tubes, these beating tubes being throwninto beating contact with theunder side of the rug by centrifugal force.

Since, as previously described, the beating ele ments 96 in the variouslongitudinally spaced sections of the beater are staggered the rug willbe subjected to a compound beating action. That is to say, the staggeredarrangement of the beating element will cause the rug to wavertransversely and since the heaters are driven at a comparatively highspeed, this arrangement will have the effect of imparting to the rug avibration conducive to the complete loosening and removal of the dirt,this action being in concert with the direct centrifugal contact of thebeating element with the underside of the rug.

The dirt thus removed from the dry rug is carried off by the vacuum orsuction in the beating chamber and the passage of the dust-laden airfrom the chamber through a water container will cause the deposit of thedust in the water 75 thereby preventing the contamination of the atmosphere about the machine.

The rugs upon leaving the beater pass beneath the brushing elements inthe manner described and then move upward over the support I98, at

which point the rugs are subjected to the rinsing water-discharged byforce from the'rinsing head I92 and this, of course, has the effect ofremoving the soapy fluids so that the rugs remain only to be subjectedto the action of the wringer by which the major portion of moisture isremoved therefrom. V 7

As shown in Figure 4, a collector pan 418 is mounted beneath the wringerand certain of the other rolls to receive the drippings from the rug andis shown to be depressed toward the central portion thereof where thereis shown to be located a depending outlet pipe 18! the lower portion ofwhich discharges into the exhaust pipe 86 from the beater.

The introduction of the drippings from the pan H8 into the exhaust linebrings about the mixture of the recovered dust with the rinsing Waterand this mixture may be carried ofi to a suitable point of discharge.The mixture of the rinsing water with the exhaust from the beaterinsures a more perfect control of the dust recovered from the rugs andprevents the contamination of the atmosphere about the machine with thisdust.

Referring now to Figure 2, it will be seen that the bed of the machinehas a longitudinal dimension substantially greater than that of therollers allowing rugs of a length greater than the "length of the rollsto be handled, it being apparent, however, that where a rug greater thanthe length of the rolls'is passed through the machine, the rug will haveto be passed through a second time for the purpose of cleaning that partof the rug which was not treated during the first passage of the rugthrough the machine.

On the other hand, should it be desired to pass through the machine anumber of small rugs having a width less than the length of the rollers, the rinsing heads I92 may be adjusted to cut Off a portion of theoutlet openings therein, so

that the spray will be of a width corresponding" approximately to thewidth of the rugs, this being a simple matter of adjustment of thehandle 2B2.

By the same token, when rugs of a width less than the length of therollers is passed through the machine, certain of the brushing heads I06may be raised to inoperative positions and the supply, of cleaning fluidto the cleaning heads not in use may-be cut off. 10

A machine constructed in accordance with this invention will berecognized as designed to perform a number of diiierent operations witha reduced handling of the rug and therefore,

contemplates the use of a reduced number of men for a task that isrecognized in'the industry as one of the first magnitude. 7

It is to be understood that the form of invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken merely as a preferred exampleof the same andthat such minor changes in arrangement and construction of parts may bemade as will remain within the spirit of the invention and the scope ofwhat is claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is 2 claimed is,: i 1. In amachine of the class described, a support, upper and lower wringerrollsj associated with the support, the upper wringer roll beingprovided at the ends thereof with pintles, bearings associated with saidpintles and being provided with links, levers connected intermediate theends thereof to said links, and a common means for selectively adjustingone of said levers singly or adjusting the levers. together.

